SWILLY ROVERS bravely battled back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with hosts Letterkenny Rovers in a game where the home side finished with nine men following the late dismissals of Paul Boyle and Darren McElwaine.
Letterkenny Rovers 2 Swilly Rovers 2
The point earned by Letterkenny is enough to see them to the top of the table but that will be scant consolation as they know that they should have seen the game out when going two nil ahead.
Eamon McConigley’s team now have to sit and think of what might have been as they have no game now for three weeks due to the interpros next weekend and FAI intermediate Cup the weekend after.
[adrotate group=”85″]Ties between these sides are always hotly contested and this one was no different and it was the visitors who started the better and twice came close through Ryan McDaid who forced Sean Friel into a smothering save while Lawrence Toland also came close in the opening minutes.
Letterkenny were slow to start but did come close on a a number of occasions through Kevin McGrath, Chris Flanagan, Paul Boyle and Igor Arriel (twice) but somehow failed to hit the target while Swilly came closest through a Jordan Toland free which Friel did well to turn around the post.
Swilly recently appointed Gerry Crossan as manager and he had his team well organised and Letterkenny knew they would have to be patient and the opening goal arrived on 40 minutes and a wonderful goal it was with Christy Connaghan firing a splendid 20 yard volley past Caolan Bolton after the initial groundwork had been done by Brian McVeigh and Chris Flanagan.
[adrotate group=”76″]Swilly came close through a Dylan Hegarty effort but it was the home side who led at the break and were probably good value for the lead and after Darren McElwaine came close to doubling the advantage on 57 minutes it was Connaghan again who extended the lead on 59 minutes when firing home from close range after a delightful pass from Kevin McGrath.
That should have been game, set and match for Lettekenny, but Swilly got one back on 65 minutes when Kyle Burke’s shot beat Friel low to the corner to make it 2-1 with his first touch.
Swilly looked lively through Laurence Toland and Jordan Toland when breaking from defence although Rovers had a decent penalty shout turned down when McElwaine appeared to have been dragged down by a Swilly defender but those cries fell on deaf ears.
[adrotate group=”83″]Swilly should have levelled on 82 minutes when substitute Mikey Sweeney capitalised on a defensive error but he somehow fired wide of the target with the goal gaping but they did get the equaliser on 85 minutes when Jordan Toland was adjudged to have been dragged back by Paul Boyle and referee Paul Duddy pointed to the spot.
That decision was contentiously disputed by the Rovers management who were further irked as Boyle saw a straight red for some verbals in the ensuing incident.
Toland was able to brush himself off and score to make it 2-2 with a well-struck spotkick.
[adrotate group=”38″]Two minutes later, McElwaine was dismissed for an incident in the penalty box as his team was taking a corner.
Despite that decision, nine-man Letterkenny held out for a point and despite Swilly sensing to complete a remarkable recovery they will be happy to get their third draw in a row as Crossan’s side remain unbeaten and sets them up nicely for a trip to Cockhill in the Intermediate Cup in a fortnight’s time while Letterkenny are back in action in three weeks with a home game against Bonagee.
Letterkenny Rovers: Sean Friel, Paddy Diver, Ryan Gildea, Conor Tourish, Paul Boyle, Kevin McGrath, Chris Flanagan, Brian McVeigh, Darren McElwaine, Christy Connaghan, David Shovlin. Subs: Igor Arriel for Shovlin (26), Odhran McMacken for Diver (73).
Swilly Rovers: Caolan Bolton, Shay Durning, Paul Bradley, Dylan Hegarty, Damien Friel, Barry mooney, Mark Wilson, Jordan Toland, Ricky Fisher, Lawrence Toland, Ryan McDaid. Subs; Daniel O’Donnell for Wilson (41), Kyle Burke for McDaid (65), Mikey Sweeney for Fisher (77).
Referee: Paul Duddy.
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